<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Beach Festival (Four Years Prior) by FactorialRabbits</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24507373">The Beach Festival (Four Years Prior)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FactorialRabbits/pseuds/FactorialRabbits'>FactorialRabbits</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Riding The Wind - A Rune Factory AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rune Factory 4, 天官赐福 - 墨香铜臭 | Tiān Guān Cì Fú - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, M/M, MXY and NHS are currently mutually crushing BFFs, Pre-Relationship, Time is wibbly, and like... 17? Ish?, and references tgcf, background 3zun, but may be more interesting with others, however its based around a festival in rf4, like so many levels of au, only requires knowledge of mdzs/the untamed, the entire series is designed to only needs mdzs knowledge (or when its complete anyway), they're not together at the end but you can bet they will be soon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:41:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,965</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24507373</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FactorialRabbits/pseuds/FactorialRabbits</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nie Huaisang has a plan to catch a boy at the Festival of the Divine Watermaster - better known as Beach Day in these more secular times. Said plans fail, but maybe he should consider if that fishnet caught him instead.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mò Xuányǔ/Niè Huáisāng</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Riding The Wind - A Rune Factory AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1752499</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Beach Festival (Four Years Prior)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Firstly: please everyone stay as safe as you can without compromising your morality and rights, do your research into both what is going on in the world and how best to assist, consider the bias of your sources, and take care.</p><p>Early and odd posting today, as I'm having an awful busy stressful time of things. I wrote this on hold to the gas company and editted it on hold to the pharmacist and am uploading it as a very late lunch warms (3 hours late indeed) and I have another six billion things to do before tomorrow. All of them costing more spoons than I've had in years alone. So if its very strange, blame that.</p><p>While it can stand alone, it is part of a series which is very slowly being built up (and the main plot of which is being written even slower), so there will be small references to things. If you ask in the comments I will explain all excited like, but I think most get there sooner or later. </p><p>I really want to add art to this so, um, there may sometime be a second chapter featuring a doodle of various characters in their Beach Day outfits? (possibly including WWX and LWJ even if WWX doesn't show up in the plot for another 4 years, and it takes him to convince LWJ out of uniform, definitely including NHS and MXY, probably including 3zun).</p><p>Oh and repeat from the tags: this is designed to be readable without knowledge of rf4 or tgcf (indeed they're only tagged as part of the bigger verse). Knowledge of mdzs/related media is a little more important.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="western">Summer First. A date that strikes fear into the hearts of young men and women across Adonea even to this day. It marks the officially recognised date of the ascension of Divine Watermaster Shi Wudu, and traditions have shifted over time. Always they concern money and the recite thereof, usually they involve a temple visit for the devout or the local, and, as with any religious festival, there is usually some sort of party.</p><p class="western">In the coastal village of Selphia, where it sat on the border between Lanling and Gusu, in the time of the rule of Jin Guangshan (and, for that matter, for a very long time prior and since) the celebrations were held at the beach. As the Divine Windmaster Shi Qingxuan, younger sibling of the festival's god, lived in their village in those days, things could also get a little bit... Strange. While the Windmaster themself never attended the celebrations in person,they had, over their many years of residence, been the cause of a number of traditions the rest of Lanling would be horrified to see.</p><p class="western">Which is, dear reader, the context as to how one Nie Huaisang found himself staring at his wardrobe on the first day of summer...</p>
<hr/><p class="western">"Dage!" Nie Huaisang whined. "What should I wear?"</p><p class="western">It was a question that he had never expected to ask of his elder brother, and yet here he was. He was not expecting an answer he would like, but surely his elder brother had to be doing something right? If not, then how come Nie Huaisang was still single, when his Dage had not one but two powerful, beautiful boyfriends.</p><p class="western">"Swimwear," was the answer he received from the other room.</p><p class="western">Nie Huaisang tutted to himself - of course he would wear swim wear on Beach Day, the question was which! Did he wear the slightly shimmering grey that sometimes gave people a headache from how much it shone, or the loose greens and browns embroidered with gold thread, or maybe the black trunks so tight that very, very little was left to the imagination? It was one of those troubles of designing and making clothes; he always had far, far more to choose from than he wanted.</p><p class="western">He would not, however, wear the full gold set he had worn last year. It had earnt him many looks, but not from the person he wanted.</p><p class="western">Ah! That was the idea, if he were their errant little grocer, what would he want to see himself in? While Mo Xuanyu did have a great fondness for blacks and such things, he did also have an appreciation for aesthetics; the greens and browns had been complimented while he was making them, but would his crush think the gold thread tacky? Now he had a little more experience Nie Huaisang thought it probably was, but it did not change the fact that he looked fabulous in green...</p><p class="western">From downstairs, he could hear the door open, and the laughter that could only mean that Lan Xichen had thrown himself into Dage's arms. If Erge were here... That meant the rites were not only finished but that everyone would be heading down to the beach soon. And, while maybe it would help Nie Huaisang's case to not walk beside probably the two most well built men in Lanling, if not Adonea, he also did not fancy making the short trip from the town gates to the beach itself.</p><p class="western">As such, he grabbed the closest swim wear he could find - not one of those three at all, but some in a brown with a braided trim and drawstring in grey, green and gold - and quickly dressed. Then, he grabbed a fan from the collection on his table and ran downstairs.</p><p class="western">"Good morning everyone!" he called.</p><p class="western">He received three replies from the three men in the room; his Dage, busy packing water and snacks and towels into bags, Lan Xichen, swinging those bags that were ready over his shoulder, and Jin Guangyao, balanced on the anvil and scribbling in his notebook. Nie Huaisang was a little surprised to see that neither his Erge nor Sange were wearing shirts; while it was acceptable for the men to go to beach day in just their trunks, as the Nie brothers did, Sange was from the capital, where everyone was a little more precious, and while he often showed his abs Erge could be very sensitive about the mass of scars across his back.</p><p class="western">But, while he was pleased for them being a little more confident (or, at least, Erge was - it was Sange's first Beach Day in Selphia, so maybe Nie Huaisang had just misread him), he knew a comment wouldn't go well, "I'm ready now!"</p><p class="western">"You look lovely," Lan Xichen smiled at him, in that way that seemed a bit patronising but Nie Huaisang had not the heart to object to.</p><p class="western">"Well of course," Nie Huaisang swished his hips as he walked past his Erge and towards the door. "Dage might have got you two, but I have so many boys to catch!"</p><p class="western">"You mean a boy to catch," Jin Guangyao's tired, serious quip was only made funnier by Nie Mingjue's booming laughter behind them.</p><p class="western">Nie Huaisang sniffed, just as was expected on him, and adjusted the drawstring on his swimming trunks until they swished like he wanted them to, "you never know - maybe I'm after Assistant Wen."</p><p class="western">"You're after your grocer," Sange sighed a little. "Maybe you should just talk to him? You are friends?"</p><p class="western">"Hm..." Nie Huaisang pretended to consider it, before shaking his head. "I think this will work fine. We're leaving now."</p><p class="western">Without waiting for a decision, he strutted out of the forge and towards the beach gate.</p>
<hr/><p class="western">They were, as always, one of the last groups to the beach. Lan Wangji was in his full uniform, standing guard at the edge of the wards, and Lan Qiren had taken the opportunity to cover more skin than usual, as opposed to less, but otherwise everyone looked to be in the spirit of things. Even Song Zichen, cautious as he was, was wearing a much thinner robe than usual as he sat under a tree and watched his family play in the water. Doctor Wen was determinedly placing parasols and bottles of water around the beach, and fussing over adjusting the shawl her brother was wearing over his shoulders; Nie Huaisang waved his fan in his direction, and gave him a sympathising smile.</p><p class="western">His brother and partners abandoned their things under one of the sun-shields, before heading to the water where Luo Qingyang was already trying to teach Lan Jingyi how to spear a fish.</p><p class="western">Seeing Mo Xuanyu arrive, and looking nervously around the collected people, Nie Huaisang had to pause a moment. It... was maybe obvious why he was nervous, and really, really was not fair; all that carrying boxes around had done wonders for Mo Xuanyu's arms, and he was carrying what had to be the prettiest parasol - maybe not functional, but made of beautiful black lace none the less - Nie Huaisang had seen outside of his own collection. He was not shirtless as many of the men were, having opted for a pleated crop top of thin, black chiffon, and beneath his black and red swim shorts he was for some reason wearing red fishnet stockings, and for some reason was wearing his scruffiest work boots. Not exactly fashionable, but somehow very him. And very, very... Pretty. Nie Huaisang would use pretty; everyone knew his favourite things were all the prettiest.</p><p class="western">Clearly Mo Xuanyu was not here to actually swim, covered in delicate make-up powders as he was, but Nie Huaisang could work with that. Maybe he could go swimming and impress him with water dripping off his back? It seemed to work for Erge... But then Erge was of a very different structure. Sure, Nie Huaisang was stronger than average and he knew he was pretty, but he was not as toned as Erge or as well built as Dage or even as cute as Sange. He did have very, very nimble fingers going for him, but water would not help emphasise that.</p><p class="western">It took Mo Xuanyu looking over at him to snap out of his contemplation; Nie Huaisang waved his friend over, scooting to make space for him in the shade. It proved likely a good thing that he did; Mo Xuanyu already looked overheated, likely due to all of the black and being naturally sensitive to such things. He flopped down with an inelegance that just made his parasol look strange, and grabbed one of Doctor Wen's water bottles. As he drank some of the now tepid water, Nie Huaisang flapped at him with his fan.</p><p class="western">"Thanks," Mo Xuanyu eventually muttered. "The sun is too real."</p><p class="western">"You're doing better than last year," Nie Huaisang teased, remembering how his friend had managed to get sunburnt from just the walk across town. "I see you took my suggestion."</p><p class="western">Mo Xuanyu twiddled the parasol, "it was a good one... Are those new swim trunks? Actually going to swim this year?"</p><p class="western">"Me! Swim! How dare you, I thought we were friends!" Nie Huaisang feigned insult for a moment, before laughing. "Maybe, not sure yet. And not really? I just don't like these ones."</p><p class="western">"Then why are you even wearing them?" Mo Xuanyu pulled a face, looking at them. "I think they're pretty enough, anyway. Your standards are too high."</p><p class="western">"At least I have standards," he grinned back. "What? Black and black? Work boots and fishnets? Really, Xuanyu."</p><p class="western">"What? Do you like it?" Mo Xuanyu shifted one leg over the other, and trailed his fingers along the inside of his own thigh.</p><p class="western">Nie Huaisang really, really did. More than he was willing to admit to. Instead he flapped his fan at Mo Xuanyu, "oh you!"</p><p class="western">It earnt him a laugh, at least. It was always nicer when Mo Xuanyu laughed than scowled or blanked, but it was doing nothing for Nie Huaisang's ability to process when faced by those legs. He yelled something about going for a swim could Mo Xuanyu look after his fan, before sprinting over to the shore and diving in. Or, rather, stumbling, slipping on a rock, and ending up face first in the water, but those were approximately the same thing.</p><p class="western">He remained mostly under the water until the blushes from both the teasing and the falling and his Sange's congratulations at the speed of his sprint had faded, and he was feeling a little less flustered. He preferred to be on land than in the sea, a preference his brother shared, but at least the water was cold.</p><p class="western">Eventually, he felt like he had calmed down enough. He bobbed back up a little ways, and sought out Mo Xuanyu.</p><p class="western">Who had at some point taken off his loose top and boots. Because Nie Huaisang could escape back underwater, his fan was being waved at him. He lifted up a hand to wave back, only to watch Mo Xuanyu press Nie Huaisang's own fan to his lips, and then look at him with... an expression Nie Huaisang could make out neither at this distance nor his current level of fluster.</p><p class="western">Instead of making any sensible response, he dove back into the water to the loud laughter of his brother.</p><p class="western">He'd ask Mo Xuanyu what he had meant by the kiss on the fan later, and plot his revenge for the Fireworks Festival in a few weeks time. For now, though, he was going to be a sensible adult and hide away from the confusion.</p><p class="western">Maybe it meant Mo Xuanyu felt the same, maybe it meant he was teasing, but either way the burn across Nie Huaisang's cheeks could not be blamed on the weather.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>NHS and MXY will get together soon, probably at the Fireworks Festival I mentioned, but not quite yet. NHS need to be able to get out the water without dying of embarrassment first.</p><p>On referenced outfits:<br/>Mo Xuanyu thinks the fishnets will impress NHS, but the work boots make him sensible and reliable so NMJ won't object, right?<br/>Nie Huaisang thought so hard but then panicked as it was time to go, so grabbed the first set of swim trunks he could reach. Which were the top of his discard pile.<br/>I have pictures for usual wear of these characters. The Lans, as direct servants of Watermaster Shi Qingxuan, are frequently forced into some... Interesting items, shall we say. LQR is permanently flustered. When he met his god in person he wasn't expecting them to be quite so... obnoxious? Bubbly? Chaotic? All of the above.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>